From Father Steven - January 12, 2025

Father Steven Clemence • January 9, 2025

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Please see the reflection below from Fr. Victor.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Steven

_______________________________________

Dear Parishioners of Immaculate Conception,

 

BAPTISM [Lk 3:15-16, 21


We all know that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the river of Jordan. In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, we saw the Holy Trinity active and present: the Father spoke; the Son was made known by the Father and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus. Though we may think at first glance that all the Gospels are the same, Luke wants to present some different and meaningful details. Let us see what he has to say about it.


 For one, Luke does not describe the baptism of Jesus. What was important for Luke was what happened immediately after his baptism. Jesus was PRAYING and he received the Holy Spirit. Prayer is one of Luke's favorite themes: For the first time, we see Jesus in dialogue with the Father. He needs to pray now that he is about to embark on his mission. So that to remain faithful to the Father, he needs to pray.


 After this, like Matthew and Mark, Luke describes the next scene: THE HEAVEN OPENS, The HOLY SPIRIT descended upon him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven:, “YOU ARE MY BELOVED SON, WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” [Lk 3: 21f]


 What do those words mean?.


 The “heaven opens” alludes to the Old Testament. For the last centuries before Christ, the people felt that heaven was closed because of their sins and infidelities. No prophets were sent and so they prayed to God: “Do not let your anger go too far or think of our sins forever. O that you would rend the heavens and come down.” [Isaiah 64:1] It is a desperate plea to God, asking him to intervene, even to the point of tearing open the heaven to deliver them.


 Then “the Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove and it rested on Jesus. Moved by the Spirit, Jesus will always approach sinners with so much gentleness as a dove. His heart is always moved with compassion as in the raising of Lazarus and the widow’s only son; feeding of the multitude; healing of the lepers and the blind men; dining with sinners; even inviting himself to Zacchaeus’ house, etc.


“You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” “You are my Son” is from Psalm 2:7, presents Jesus as the Father’s Son, guaranteeing His presence in Jesus’ words and works. So that “to see me, is to see the Father,” [Jn 14:9]  Jesus told Philip during the last supper. In our baptism, the Father repeats the same words to us, “you are my son, you are my daughter,” and so we become God’s own children too.


The Beloved alludes to Isaac, the beloved son of Abraham. Jesus, the new Isaac, is the Father’s beloved Son who will ultimately be offered as a sacrifice for forgiveness of sins for our salvation. 


“In him, I am well pleased.” Why? Because “He comes to do the will of the one who sent him.” [Jn 6:38] He enters into the waters of Jordan ‘to wash away the sins of the world’ and to give his life “as a ransom for many.” [Is 53:11f]


Having said these, so what’s in it for me? What is the Good News?


 Jesus’ baptism not only foreshadows his own suffering, death and resurrection but also ours, if we remain in him. His descent into the Jordan River foretells the saving acts of death and resurrection. Through his baptism, we were born into the womb of Mother Church, making us adopted children of God, our Father. And victorious over sin and death, Jesus has secured for us twofold blessings: the promise of eternal life and a participation in the Triune God’s divine life.

 

God Bless,

Fr. Victor

 

From Father Steven - February 22, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • February 20, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, We begin this holy and wonderful time of Lent with the image of the desert, as we will hear in the Gospel. The time of Lent is like a desert, or like the exodus of the people of Israel passing from the slavery of Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land. The image of the desert is very important for the people of Israel. In the Scriptures, it is a privileged place to meet the Lord. There is no food, no comfort, no distraction—only sand and more sand. It is in the desert that God reveals Himself. He speaks to the people. In the Hebrew tradition, it is in the desert that God marries His people. In our daily lives, we get lost with so many worries, projections, and expectations. In the desert there is nothing. We are forced to depend on God, even though we do not like to depend on others. We prefer to be independent. There, either you trust God, or you die. In this strange place, God provides food (manna and quails), shelter (the cloud that accompanied the people), and water (from the rock). As in marriage the couple becomes one, so it is with the Lord, who wants to be one with us. The time of Lent is a spiritual desert. We do not eat meat on Fridays, we fast, we abstain from electronics, we give up activities that we like, we become poor by giving alms—and only then can we see God more clearly. However, if we do not empty ourselves this Lent, we will not see the Lord, much less listen to Him. Like the people of Israel, we will be circling around for a long time. We began Lent with the imposition of ashes. We were reminded that we are dust and that we need to convert. Through vices, sins, and bad habits, we are not as free as God wants us to be. At times we do things only to please others, out of social pressure, or to keep up an image. In this way (and in other ways), we are enslaved in order to fit in. We are incapable of loving with 100% of our hearts. This Lent, God wants to make the journey of exodus with us. For that, we need to begin in Egypt. As Moses listened to God and did His will, so we are called to do the same. Therefore, we will need to silence the noise and the distractions around us. Like in the episode of the burning bush, we are called to draw closer to the Lord and “see the marvelous sight.” That is called prayer. It is not a matter of only reciting words; it is a dialogue with God. Which means that as we speak, we also need to listen. Today, no one teaches us how to contemplate what God is doing in our lives. Stop for 20 minutes each day and think or contemplate what graces you have received recently, what difficulties God has helped you overcome through these years. What is going to be the next step on your journey? In which direction is God pointing you? What will be your next mission? Unless we stop and simply listen to Him, we will be deceived by our own thoughts and by temptations, like Adam and Eve. We will also have a great opportunity to listen to Him during the one-day Lenten Mission that Sister Olga will lead for us on February 28th. She is a very inspired woman. It is a great privilege for us to be able to host her. It will be free, but we do ask you to register so that we can have an idea of how many people will attend. That morning, she will also have a special time with the women. Do not miss this opportunity. Last but not least, like last year, we will be giving out Lenten boxes to help us give alms. As Jesus says, “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” All the money collected will be given to St. Vincent de Paul to help the poor of the parish and of the city of Marlboro. Additionally, if you give up coffee or soda during Lent, put in the box the money that you are not spending. Be aware that there are a lot of people who need help, more than ever. So if you would like to make an additional contribution, you can use the poor boxes located at the exit of the church. May the Lord assist you in this holy campaign of Christian service as we take up the battle against spiritual evils, and may we be armed with the weapons of self-restraint. God Bless, Fr. Steven

From Father Steven - February 15, 2026

By Father Steven Clemence • February 13, 2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters, We all know that God is love and that He does everything to help us attain salvation. However, we are not always aware of the graces He has prepared for us. At other times, we do not take advantage of the opportunities when they are offered to us. This week, I would like to briefly highlight some special opportunities that will be given to us in the coming days. This Sunday, after the 11:00am Mass, we will offer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for those who need it. For a long time, it was known as the Last Rites or Extreme Unction. Therefore, it still carries the taboo that only those who are dying should receive this sacrament. The Rite of Anointing tells us that there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. As its name indicates, this sacrament is for those who are facing serious illness, undergoing surgery, or experiencing the frailty of old age. When the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is given, we pray that, if it be God’s will, the person may be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is spiritual healing, by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age. It is very important for those who are facing something serious to receive the grace of the sacrament in order to be helped by God. Therefore, we urge anyone who needs it to ask for the sacrament. If you know someone who is in a nursing home, they should also receive the sacrament while conscious in order to be helped by God. Unfortunately, sometimes people wait until it is too late. This Sunday, after the 11:00am Mass, we will have a small celebration for anyone who needs the sacrament. It can also be scheduled by calling the office. From Sunday to Monday, we will have the opportunity to spend time with Jesus during 24 hours of adoration. Considering that Monday is a holiday, it is a special moment to slow down our lives and recharge the battery of our soul. This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. There will be other opportunities to continue receiving God’s grace, such as praying the Stations of the Cross on Fridays. Next weekend we will be holding a retreat for couples to help and sanctify their relationship. Do not miss it. Finally, on Saturday, 2/28, Sister Olga will be leading us in a Lenten Parish Mission from 12:30–2:00pm. Finally, I would like to touch very briefly on something that I will later dedicate more time to expanding upon. In this week’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about adultery as when a person who was married before, and after a divorce marries another person. This is different from separation. The promise made before God is to be faithful in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, all the days of one’s life. Therefore, that promise cannot be broken until death. If there are problems that lead to a separation, there are still ways to live a holy life. We have prepared a team to assist couples who would like to begin the process of nullity of their marriage. Soon, I will write a bulletin letter with details about what it is and what it is not, and set up a meeting to explain it better. I also take this opportunity to encourage anyone who has not received the Sacrament of Marriage (who was not married in the Church) to do so. It can be a very simple process to receive an immense grace!  Let us not pass up these opportunities to receive God’s grace. He walks with us every step of the way and sustains and strengthens us with the Sacraments and through the love and concern of the Church. He also respects our free will. If we are not open to grace or simply refuse it, then there is very little He can do. He will never give up on us! Let us not give up on Him either! God Bless, Fr. Steven